Safety razor



Feb 9, 1954 P. J. GRAYBILL SF'ETYr RAZOR Filed May 5. 1950 2 Sheets-Shee l Feb. 9, 1954 P. J. G RAYBILL SAFETY RAZOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 5, 195o @mi 7%/ f/WM /7 9 WMV@ Patented Feb. 9, 1954 UNITED STATE ATENT Y OFFICE The present invention relates in general to safety razors and more especially to an improved safety razor of the type wherein a blade may be assembled therewith and removed therefrom Without the necessity for disassembling the several parts of the razor.

An object of the invention is to provide a safety razor of durable and economical construction and one which may be used and cleaned with facility and dispatch.

A further object of the invention is to provide a safety razor with pivoted blade-clamping means operable manually for clamping a blade to and for permitting removal of a blade from the safety razor without disassembling the several parts thereof.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a safety razor of the type hereinabove described having improved manually-operated means for swinging the blade-clamping means l to and from blade-clamping position.

Other objects and advantages will appear to those skilled in the art from the following, considered in conjunction with the accompanying tudinal section of the improved safety razor of this invention showing the blade clamped between the blade-supporting member of the razorhead and the blade-clamping means;

Fig. 2 in an enlarged front elevation in longitudinal section of the razor on line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation in longitudinal section cf the razor showing the bladeclamping means elevated relative to the bladesupporting member of the razor-head for removing the blade therefrom;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan View in section of the razor-head on section line 4 4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a plan View in section of the head of the razor on line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a detached perspective view of one of the blade-clamps of the razor;

Fig. 7 is a detached perspective view of the elevating-cup for raising the blade-clamps of the razor; y

i1 Fig. 8 is a detached perspective view of the shaft of the clamp-operating means;

Fig. 9 is a detached perspective view of the crest-plate which is adapted to be riveted or otherwise secured on the upper end of the shaft;

14 Claims. (Cl. 30-60.5)

Fig. 10 is a detached perspective view of the yoke for pivotally mounting the blade-clamps in the head of the razor; and f Fig. l1 is a perspective view of a razor blade to be utilized with the razor of this invention.`

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, the safety razor of this invention comprises, in the main, a tubular handle I5 having a head I6 secured tothe upper end thereof and comprising a blade-supporting member or guard l1, and blade-clamping means indicated generally at I8 arranged normally to clamp a blade to the bladesupporting member I'I, the blade-clamping means being actuated by manually-operable means I9 mounted on the lower end of the handle I5.

The aforesaid blade-supporting member II comprises an elongated substantially-rectangular plate having a longitudinally-extending slightly-convex embossment on its upper surface on which the blade 2| of the razor is adapted to be clamped; and notches 22 at the corners of the embossment. Formed between each edge of the blade-supporting plate and the corresponding outer edge of the embossment is a longitudinal slot 23. A substantially-rectangular aperture is formed centrally ci the blade-supporting plate I'I for accommodating the upper end of a well 25, the upper end of which is staked or ixedly secured in a similar manner in the aforesaid aperture of the blade-supporting plate. The well 25 projects from the underside of the blade-supporting plate I1 and comprises a substantially-rectangular cup-shaped element having oppositely-dispcsed side Walls 2li- 26; oppositely-disposed end walls 2I-2'I; and a substantially-rectangular bottom 28, the latter being provided with a substantially-central aperture 29, as shown especially well in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

The blade-supporting member I'I and its Well 25 constitute elements of the razor-head I6 to which Vthe upper end of the handle I5 is secured by staking, soldering or otherwise securing the latter in the aperture 29 in the bottom of the aforesaid well 25.

The tubular handle I5 is substantially cylindrical throughout its length and is provided von its exterior surface with knurling to facilitate gripping the handle. Intermediate the opposite ends of the handle is an annular indenturev 3!! which is adapted to rotatably anchor the operating-means I9 in the handle in the manner hereinafter described, to prevent the operating-means i9 from moving 4longitudinally therein.

Referring especially to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the

l aforesaid operating-means I9 of the blade-clamping means i8 comprises a shaft 3i rotatably mounted in thehandle I and provided at its lower end witnexternal threads 32 which are adapted to threadedly engage in corresponding internal threads, rpreferably of double pitch, formed in the upper end of a substantially-cylindrical hollow shank-portion 33 of an operating-nut 34. which constitutes an enlargement on the lower end of the shank 33, the operating-nut forming with its shank 33 an annular external shoulder 35 which is adapted to abut against the lower end `ofitheihandle and to be held in engagement therewith by means of the aforesaid annular indenture 3G, the inwardly-projecting rib of which engages in an annular groove-36 formed in 'assembly-screw 38 is adapted to be inserted into the hollow operating-nut from the lower end thereof and up into the internally-threaded aperture in the lower end of the stem. 3l, Thus, as the shaft is moved longitudinally upwardly in the handle by rotation of the operating-nut 3d, the enlarged head 39 of the'screw will ultimately seat against the annular internal shoulder 4U of the hollow operating-nut so as to preclude further upward movement of the shaft, as indicated especially well in Fig. 3. For a pleasing appearance, the profile Lof the hollow operating-nut may be streamlined.

Mounted in the upper end of the handle for longitudinal movement therein is a yoke-member 4I of the blade-clamping means I3, the yokemember comprising a substantially-cylindrical collar-portion 42, the external diameter of which corresponds substantially to the internal diameter of the aforesaid handle I5 so as to make a friction iit therein; and a pair of diametrically- 'opposed arms 43-43 extending upwardly from the collar-portion 42 of the yoke-member, each arm being provided at its upper extremity with a pair of transverse apertures 44-44. The overvall length of the yoke-member 4I is such that lwhen the latter is mounted in the upper end of the handle I5, the upper extremities of the arms 43-43 extend slightly above the plane of the outer face of the blade-supporting member I1.

The blade-clamping means i8 of the razor also comprises a pair of substantially-identical elongated clamps 45-45 (see Fig. 6), each having slightly concave and convex lower and upper surfaces respectively, the curvature of the lower concave surface corresponding substantially to the convex curvature of the outer face of the blade-supporting member I l. Each clamp is provided with a substantially-rectangular clearancerecess 4S which extends longitudinally of its upper surface and intersects the inner edge thereof. dMoreover. each clamp 45 is provided on its inner edgeA with a pair of substantially-rectangular tongues IIT-41. arranged thereon in longitudi- :sally-spaced substantially-parallel relationship,

the distance between the inner edges of each 'Y .pairof tongues 41--47 being substantially equal tothe distance between the outer faces of the 4 i aforesaid pair of arms 43-43 of the yoke-member l, the aforesaid arms 43-43 being adapted thus to engage between the tongues 41--41 of the respective clamps L15-45. Each tongue 41 is provided with a transverse aperture 48 adapted to accommodate a pin 49, the pin of each tongue 41 being in axial alignment with and adapted to engage in a corresponding transverse aperture 44 of one of the arms 43 to pivotally secure the coresponding clamp 45 thereto. Formed on the underside of each clamp 45 adjacent its two outer corners are integral downwardly-projecting protuberances Sil-5E respectively adapted to engage in the notches 22-22 at corresponding corners of the blade-supporting member I1 when the clamps are swung down into their` normal blade-clamping position, as hereinafter described. The upper end oi the shaft 3| is reduced in cross section to provide an annular shoulder 5I and to form a reach 52 having at least two oppositely-disposed flat surfaces, the maximum transverse dimension of the reach being less than the transverse distance between the arms 4.3--43 of the aforesaid yoke-member 4I so that the reach 52 may extend freely therebetween. Fixedly secured to the upper end of the reach 52 by staking or equivalent means is clamp-locking means comprising a crest-plate 53 substantially equal in length to the clamps i5-55 of the blade-clamping means la, and substantially equal in width to the distance transversely between the longitudinal shoulders of the clearance-recesses IIS- #it of the respective clamps 65--65 when the latter are in their normal blade-clamping position, as shown especially well in Fig. 1. The thickness of the crest-plate 53 corresponds substantially to the depthV of the' clearance-recesses of the clamps i5-45 so that when the crest-plate 5S is engaged therein, its outer convex surface will'be substantially continuous with the convex outer surfaces of the respective clamps l5- 45. In order to insure smooth operation of the blade-clamping means and to preclude cramping, the underside of the crest-plate 53 is provided with a shallow relief-recess extending longitudinally between its oppositely-disposed edges.

Slidably mounted on the reach 52 of the shaft 3i is a substantially-rectangular elevating-cup 55 having side walls SiS-5t, end walls 51-51 and a bottom 58, theside walls 56-56 being slightly Vhigher than the end walls 5?-51, and provided with inwardly-sloping cam-faces 59-59 on their upper edges respectively as illustrated especially well in- Fig. '1. The outside longitudinal and transverse dimensions of the elevating-cup are slightly less than the corresponding inside dimensions of the well 25 in the blade-supporting member I'I, sothat the elevating-cup may be mounted therein with freedom for movement vertically relative thereto, the sides and ends of the cup cooperatively engaging the corresponding sides andends of the well to prevent rotation ofthe cup. The bottom 58 of the elevating-cup is provided with an elongated aperture El), the length of which corresponds substantially to the distance between the outer faces of the upstanding-arms i3-43 of the yoke-member 4i and the width of the aperture corresponding substantially to the width of the arms, whereby the latter arc adapted to be guided by the edges of the aperture Sil for substantially-vertical movement only therein, in the manner shown especially well in Fig, 5. It will be seenalso from Fig. 5 and'F'igs. l', 2 and 3, that the reach 52.- of the shaft extends up through the aperture 60 in the bottom of the accesso elevating-cup between the arms 43--43 of the yoke-member, with the oppositely-disposed dat sides of the reach in sliding engagement with the corresponding edges of the aperture d to prevent rotation of the shaft; and that the width of the aperture E!) is less than the diameter of the annular shoulder `El at the base of the reach 52, whereby the shoulder l forms a stop-abutment to limit longitudinal movement of the shaft relative to the cup. Thus, when the shaft is moved upwardly relative to the elevating-cup, the annular shoulder 5l, which is normally spaced below the bottom of the cup to provide for lost motion therebetween, will be brought into engagement with the bottom of the cup to pick up the latter and carry it upwardly in the well 25 of the blade-supporting member and thereby swing the pivoted clamps upwardly, as illustrated in Fig. 3. In this connection, it should be pointed out that the distance between the inner faces of the end walls 5?-57/ of the elevating-cup corresponds substantially to the distance between the outer edges of each pair of clamp-tongues iL-4l, so that as the cup moves upwardly to elevate the pivoted clamps, the tongues thereof may be accommodated within the cup, as illustrated in Fig. 3.

The razor blade 2i is shown especially well in Fig. 1l and is of the double-edge type formed of conventional razor-blade material' and characterized by a substantially U-shaped slot di which extends longitudinally thereof and intersects one end of the blade. rhe width of the slot Si corresponds substantially to the width of the elevating-cup, while the length of the slot is substan- 2 tially equal to the distance from one end of the blade-supportingl member to that end wall of the elevating-cup which is farthest therefrom. In order that the outer extremities of the blade may be held firmly in engagement with the bladesupporting member when clamped thereon, a notch 62 is formed in each corner of the blade opposite the corresponding notches 22 of the bladesupporting member so that when the clamps 'i5-i5 are drawn down into blade-clamping relationship therewith, the protuberances 5d of the clamps will extend down through the notches in the corners of the blade into the corresponding notches 22 of the blade-supporting member.

By way of illustration, the elements of the razor may be assembled as follows. The upper end of the tubular handle l5 is staked or otherwise pervmanently secured in the aperture 29 in the bottom of the well 25, the upper end of which is staked or permanently secured in any suitable manner in the aperture of the blade-supporting member l l. The operating-nut 34 is mounted in the lower end of the handle by engaging the shan.' 33 of the operating-nut therein and selcuring the shank against longitudinal displaceassembling the clamps i5-A5 on the upper ends.

of the arms 43--43 of the yoke-member fil, the latter may be moved upwardly on the shaft so that the upper ends of the arms 43-43 will project above the upper edges of the elevating-cup. Thus, the pins 49 may be readily inserted in the axially-aligned apertures `of the clamp-tongues and the' arms to pivotally secure the clamps thereto. The crest-plate y53 is then secured on the upper extremity of the reach 52 of the shaft 3| by any suitable fastening-means such as, for example, by rivet-means, staking or brazing. This entire assembly, that is to say, the shaft, the yoke-member, the elevating-cup, the clamps and the crest-plate, is then mounted in the handle i5 of the razor by introducing the externallythreaded end of the shaft into the upper end of the handle, and moving it downwardly therein until the lower end of the shaft is below the internal annular shoulder 40 of the operating-nut. Thereupon, the screw 38A is engaged in the axial aperture in the lower end of the shaft to prevent withdrawal of the shaft from the handle l5. W ith the elements assembled in the manner hereinabove described, the collar-portion 42 of the yokemember l will be slidably engaged in the upper end of the handle i5 but below the annular shoulder 5l of the shaft tl, while the elevatingcup will be engaged in the well 25 of the bladesupporting member Il. It will be understood that the method of assembly hereinabove described is peculiar to the specific structure shown herein for illustrating the invention but that .variations on the method of assembly are inycluded within the purview of the invention in accordance with modications of the structure shown.

In order to mount a razor blade 2| on the head of the rar'. r, the operating-nut 34 is rotated in a clockwise direction, thereby to move the shaft upwardly in the handle initially to move the crest-plate upwardly away from the blade-supporting member il, the initial upward movement ci the shaft occurring without affecting either the yoke-member or the elevating-cup, inasmuch es the former forms a relatively-snug friction t in the upper end of the'handle, and the annular shoulder of the shaft is below the bottom of the elevating-cup. However, when the annular shoulder 5I of the shaft moves up into engagement with the bottom of the elevating-cup, the latter is also moved upwardly out of the well 25, whereupon the cam-faces 58-59 on the upper edges of the cup engage and pivot the clamps l5-d5 upwardly and inwardly, the clamps pivoting about the pins 49 engaged in the upper ends of the arms 43 of the yoke-member. The upward swinging movement of the clamps continues until the clamps engage the underside of the crest-plate, whereupon the elevating-cup is held against further upward movement relative to the yoke-member. Thereafter, additional upward movement of the shaft and the elevatingcup positively forces the yoke-member upwardly relative to the handle into the well 25 of thc blade-supporting member, as indicated in Fig. 3. Thus, the maximum upward displacement of the clamps corresponds to the upward movement of the shaft plus the upward displacement of the yoke-member, whereby there is provided ample space between the upper surface of the bladesupporting member il and the undersides of the clamps 45-45 not only for cleaning the parts of the razor, 'but for mounting the blade 2l on the blade-supporting member, which is done by sliding the slotted end of the blade past the elevating-cup. By reversing the rotation of the operating-nut, that is to say, by turning the latter in a counterclockwise direction, the downward movement of the shaft 3l will pull the yokemember, elevating-cup and clamps downwardly face of 'the blade-supporting -member vIl. The

upper ends of the arms 43 of the yoke-member 4"! will then project above the upper edges of the elevatingaoup so ythat additional movement of the 'shaftdownwardly in the handle will cause the crest-plate to positively cam the clamps 'l5-45 outwardly vand downwardly into clamping relationship with the blade mounted on the upper 'surface of` the blade-supporting member il, the orest-platennally 'seating in the opposedV clearlaime-recesses 465-45 of the clamps 45-45 to lock the clamps in'blade-clamping position. Y

'The razor of this invention thus providesa unitary structure which, having-once `been assembled, does not require the lcomplete separation of any oi elements for the purpose of inserting a' blade in the head of the razor, or re- 'moving a blade therefrom. Moreover, when'the clamping-elements of the razor-head are swung open, the elevating-cup provides a shield around vthe upper end ofthe well to prevent the accumulation ofsoap and other undesirable materials inthe head ofthe razor, thereby facilitating cleaning and drying the several parts of the razor-head.

The 'invention may be carried out in other Specific ways than thoseherein set forth without departing from the 'spirit and essential characteristics ofV the invention, and the present em- "i bodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respectsv as illustrative and not restrictive, and all 'changes coming within the meaning and :equivalency range of the appended Claims are intended to be embraced therein.

-Iclaimz l.' A safety razor-having a tubular handle; a blade-supporting member secured thereon; a pair of' blade-clamping members; amor/able yoke member to which the blade-clamping members are pivoted; an elevating member engageable with the blade-clamping members; manuallyvoperable means mounted in said handle and arranged to actuate the elevating member to move said pair of blade-clamping members substantially simultaneously out of blade-clamping position; yand crest-plate constructed and arranged to 'be actuated by said manually-operable means to return and lock said clamping 'members 1n blade-clamping position.

2.-' A safety razor having a tubular handle; Va blade-supporting member secured thereon; a

vniiovable yoke member; a pair of blade-"clamping members pivotally mounted on the yoke member;

man'i'ially-operable means includingl a shaft nmounted in said handle and arranged to be ing members back into blade-clamping position.

A3. A safety razor having a tubular handle; a blade-supporting member secured thereon, said blade-supporting member being provided with a well'; a movable yoke-member; a pair of bladeelampinglmemberspivoted to the yokemember; :vup---Shapecl member- Amovably disposed insaid well and arranged to .engage the blade-clamping members; manually-operable means mounted in said'v handle and arranged to move the cupshaped member longitudinally so that the -cupshaped member, in one position, lallows both blade-clampingmembers to be in a plane substantially parallel tothe Vplane of said bladesupporting member and, in another position, supports said clamping memberswat substantially equaldivergentangles tosaid plane of said. bladesupporting member; and locking means including a vcrest-plate carried bysaid manuallyfoperable meansand arranged to be actuated therebyto return and lock said Yclamping members in the rst mentioned position. o

A4. A safetyrazor having a tubular handle; a blade-supporting member secured-thereon, said blade-supportingmember being provided k*vr/ ith a substantially-central Well having an apertured bottom; a cup-shaped member movably disposed in `Said well; amovable yoke member extending into said Well from the aperture in the bottom thereof; a pair of blade-clamping membersl pivotallyv mounted on the yoke member and in enragement with the cup-shaped member; manually-operable meansmounted in said handle and arrangedto move said sup-shaped member longitudinally in said Well so that Athe cup-shaped member,Y in one position, allows the blade-clamping members to be in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of said blade-supporting member and, in anotherposition, supports said clamping members ati-substantially equalV divergent angles to said plane Aof said blade-supporting member; andvlocking means including a orestplate carried byvsaid manually-operable means and arranged to be actuated thereby to positively return and look said-,clamping members .in the inst-mentioned position. Y

, 5. A *safety/razor having a tubular handle; a blade-clamping member secured thereon, --sail blade-olamping`l`member being' provided with a substantially-central well having an apertured bottom; a slidable yoke member extending 'into said well from theaperture in the bottom thereof; a pair of blade-clamping members pivotally mounted on the yoke member; manually-operable means including a shaft mounted in said handle and arranged to extend up through the aperture in the bottom of said well and to be moved relative to said blade-supporting member; a oupshaped member arranged to seatin said Welland to be actuated by movement of said shaft relative thereto to engage and move said pair of clamping members substantially simultaneously out of blade-clamping position; and locking means including a plate secured to said shaft and arranged to be `actuated thereby to engage Said clamping members initially to positively move and subsequently to lock said clamping members back linto blade-clamping; position.

, 6. A safety razor having a tubular handle; a blade-supporting member secured to the upper end of said handle; a movable yoke member mounted in the upper end of said handle; apair of blade-clamping members pivoted to theyoke member; an elevating cup slidably mounted on the arms of the yoke member and arranged to engage the blade-clamping members; manuallyoperable means mounted in said tubular handle and arranged to be moved longitudinally with respectthereto to move said cup-shaped member and-pivot said pair of clamping members subv9 stantially simultaneously out of blade-clamping position; and means including a plate carried by said manually-operable means and arranged to engage said blade-clamping members to positively move said clamping members back into blade-clamping position.

7. A safety razor having a tubular handle; a blade-supporting member secured to the upper endv of said handle, said blade-supporting member having a substantially-central well provided with an apertured bottom; a yoke member having a longitudinal hole therein movably mounted in the upper end of said tubular handle and arranged to project up into the Well through the aperture in the bottom thereof; a pair of blade-- clamping members pivoted to the yoke member; an elevating cup having an apertured bottom disposed in said well and slidably mounted on the arms of the yoke member; manually-operable means including a shaft mounted in said handle and arranged to extend through the hole in said yoke member and initially to be moved relative to said yoke member to engage said elevating cup so that the elevating cup, in one position, allows said blade-clamping members to be on a plane substantially parallel to the plane of said bladesupporting member and, in another position, supports said clamping members at substantially equal divergent angles to said plane of said bladesupporting member; and means including a plate mounted rigidly on said shaft arranged to engage and to positively move and subsequently to lock said blade-clamping members back in the first mentioned position.

8. A safety razor having a tubular handle; a blade-supporting member secured thereto; a movable yoke member mounted in said tubular handle; a pair of blade-clamping members pivoted to the yoke member and provided with 1ongitudinal recesses in the outer faces thereof; a movable cup-shaped member slidably mounted on the'arms of the yoke member; manually-operable means mounted in said handle and arranged to move the cup-shaped member to pivot said pair of blade-clamping members from a position where they are in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of said blade-supporting member to a position where they are supported by said cupshaped member at substantially equal divergent angles to said plane of said blade-supporting member; and locking means including a crestplate carried by said manually-operable means, said crest-plate being arranged to engage and lock said clamping members in the first mentioned position; said longitudinal recesses in the outer faces of said clamping members being constructed and arranged to accommodate said crest-plate when said locking means is in locking engagement with said clamping members so that the outer faces of said clamping members and the outer face of said crest-plate form a substantially smooth and unbroken surface.

9. A safety razor having a tubular handle; a blade-supporting member secured thereon, said blade-supporting member being provided with an embossment on the upper surface thereof with notches in the four corners of said embossment; a movable yoke member mounted in the upper end of said tubular handle; a pair of bladeclamping members pivotally mounted on the movable yoke member, each of said blade-clamping members having a pair of protuberances thereon to engage with the notches in said embossment in blade-clamping position; a movable cup-shaped member whose oppositelyl-disposed l0 edges are arranged to be in engagement with the pair of blade-clamping members; manuallyoperable means including a shaft mounted in said handle and movable longitudinally therein to engage and move said cup-shaped member so that said clamping members are pivoted substantially simultaneously out of blade-clamping position; a blade adapted to be clamped between said blade-supporting member and said clamping members, said blade having a substantially rectangular slot open at one end and substantially equal in width to the corresponding dimension of said cup-shaped member, to permit said blade to be horizontally moved into position around said cup-shaped member, said blade being provided with notches in each corner thereof inalignment with the corresponding notches in A the corners of said embossment of said bladesupporting member; and means including a clamping plate carried by said shaft and arranged to engage and positively return said clamping members to blade-clamping position to hold and lock said blade against said bladesupporting member.

l0. A safety razor having a tubular handle; a blade-supporting member secured to the upper end of said handle; a yoke member movably mounted in the upper end of said tubular handle; a pair of blade-clamping members pivoted to the yoke member; an elevating cup guided by the arms of said yoke member and arranged to engage said clamping members; manually-operable means mounted in said tubular handle and movable longitudinally with respect thereto to engage and move said elevating cup, said elevating cup in turn moving said yoke member out-` wardly of said handle and pivoting said bladeclamping members from a position of being in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of said blade-supporting member to a position of being at substantially equal divergent angles to said plane of said blade-supporting member; locking means, including a crest-plate rigidly affixed to the end of said shaft, said plate being arranged to return said clamping means, elevating cup and yoke member to the first mentioned position and to lock said clamping members in blade-clamping position with respect to said blade-supporting member; and a nut-member mounted on said tubular handle and arranged to engage said shaft for moving the manually-operable means longitudinally in said handle.

11. A safety razor having a tubular handle; a blade-supporting member secured on the upper end thereof, said blade-supporting member being provided with a substantially-central Well having an apertured bottom; a pair of bladeclamping members; a movable yoke member mounted in the upper end of said handle and arranged to extend up into said well through the aperture in the bottom thereof to pivotally support said pair of blade-clamping members; a cup-shaped member slidably mounted on that portion of the yoke member extending into said Well and positioned therein to engage said bladeclamping members, said cup-shaped member having cam-surfaces on the upper oppositelydisposed edges thereof; manually-operable means including a shaft mounted in said tubular handle and arranged to move said cup-shaped member upwardly relative to said well to engage its cam-surfaces against said pair of clamping members and substantially simultaneously move said clamping members upwardly out of blade-clampmg position, said shaft having a reach engaged in and extending up through the aperture in the bottom 'of'said'welL saidreaeh being 'movable4 erpendicularly with respect to said bladesupporting member, and a crest-'plate fixed von the upper end of said reach, said crest-plate be ingar'ranged to 'engage said clamping members as'said shaft is moved dovvn initially and'to positively return said clamping members, cupshaped member and' yoke member 'to bladeclamping position and subsequently to lock said clamping members downinto blade-clamping position."

12.'A safety razor having a tubular handle; a blade-supporting'member 'secured von the upper end thereof; said blade-supporting member being 'provided with a substantiallyecentral well havingan apertured bottom,- a pair'fof' bladeclamping members ;a"yo ke member mounted with a' friction nt in the upper end or' `said handle' and arranged to extend up into said kWell through thejaperture in the bottom thereof to pivotally support saidk pair of blade-clamping members; a cup-shaped member movably disposed in'sai'd well and engageable with said-bade-'clamping members, said cup-shaped mern'ber having eamsurfaces on the upper oppositely#disposed edges thereof; manually-operable means in'oluding a shaft mounted in said tubular handle and arranged to move saidAcup-shaped member upwardly relative to said Well to engage its cam surfaces against said pair of clamping Vmembers and move the latter substantially simultaneouslygupwardly out o1' blade-clamping position, said shaft'having `a'reach engaged in and extending upl'through the aperture in the bottom oi said Well,` said reach beingv movable perpendicularly with respect to sad'blade-supportmg member; a crest-plate fixed on the upper end of said reach, said crest-plate being arranged 'to engage said clamping members as said shaft is 'move-:l down initially to positivelymoveand subsequently to lock-'said clampingmembersV doyen ntofbladeclamping position; and anat-member rotatably mounted on Vthe lower end 6i- "saidhandle,7 ""-id nut-'member being threadedly engaged' 'with the? lower end of said shaft 'so as tomve'saidfs'haft" up and down in'said handlef' 13. In a safety razor: a tubular handle; a' blade-suppertingv member secured" thereto; a yoke' member movably 'mounted 'in 'said arxdleP a Vpair of blade-clamping niembesipivo'tally mounted on said yoke' member;"' elevatning?" member movably mountedfin' 'said 'supporting member; actuating means in said hndleto'move" said elevating member, said oupishapedmembei" causing'said Clampingmembers',v tof'be substnf" tially simultaneously' pivote'd out' ofl blade-elmi ing position and said yokemembent be'm'o ed outwardly of' saidf'handle duringsuonirioiu ment; and a plate member 'actuated by said actuff memberslinw'ardly of said' handle Afand positi l return said Clamping membersV t'o bladecl-r ins position. i *To 14. A razor as defined in claim 13 wherein said blade-supporting member and` blade-eiampingl members 'are 1'.\r0VidedY With eoperatin'glali'gn? ing means to properly position razor: bladev therebetween.

PAUL J- ,Gannett 

